University of Pennsylvania - Theatre Arts Program

THE THEATRE ARTS MAJOR CURRICULUM:

Theatre Arts Major

Required Courses

The Theatre Arts major is designed to provide students with a broad-based education in theatre. The major consists of fourteen courses—eight required classes and six electives—and one production practicum.

Required Courses:

1. Theatre Arts 110. Theatre, History, Culture I (Classical Athens to Elizabethan London).

2. Theatre Arts 111. Theatre, History, Culture II (Italian Renaissance to the Rise of Realism).

3. Theatre Arts 112. Theatre, History Culture III (Modernism to Post-Modernism).

4. Theatre Arts 120. Introduction to Acting.

5. Theatre Arts 121. Introduction to Directing.

6. Theatre Arts 125. The Play: Structure, Style, Meaning.

7. Theatre Arts 130. Introduction to Scenic Design.

8. Theatre Arts “Advanced Topics.” One Seminar drawn from the Theatre Arts 270-279 series.

Electives:

Students may fulfill the remaining six course requirements with any Theatre Arts elective. These may be classes offered directly by the Theatre Arts Program; they might also be classes offered by other departments or programs, such as English, Cinema Studies, Classical Studies, Gender and Society, etc., if explicitly cross-listed with the designation “THAR” (for Theatre Arts).

Theatre Arts 350, Rehearsal and Performance, is a special class that consists of participation in a faculty-directed production. Students may enroll as actors, directors, designers, or dramaturgs (enrollment is by audition or permission). Theatre Arts 350 may be taken more than once to fulfill elective credits. If a student is invited to undertake a Senior Honors Thesis, the thesis will be registered as Theatre Arts 299, an independent study elective.

Practicum Requirement:

Each major will be required to work on one Theatre Arts production to complete the Theatre Arts major. This requirement does not bear a credit and is in addition to the fourteen classes; the practicum is also separate from any production work that might be required for other classes, including Theatre Arts 130 and Theatre Arts 350. (Working on a production for THAR 130 or THAR 350 does not fulfill the practicum requirement for the major.) Students may register for the practicum by contacting the Theatre Arts Production Manager, Eric Baratta.

Special Note:

Students should be aware that although a few classes are offered nearly every semester (Introduction to Acting and Introduction to Directing are examples), many classes are offered only once a year; others are offered once every two years. Those intending to major should consult with the director of the Theatre Arts Program to plan the best sequence for fulfilling requirements.